Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska
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Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska Alaska Regional Response Team, Wildlife Protection Committee Revision 5 – August 2012 2018 Administrative Update Revision 5 – August 2012 Administrative Update: March 2018 1 Table of Contents I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... G-5 A. Background G-5 B. Objectives ........................................................................................................................... G-5 C. Scope of Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska ............................................................... G-6 1. Geographic Area ............................................................................................................. G-6 2. Wildlife Resources .......................................................................................................... G-8 3. Wildlife Resource Agencies ............................................................................................. G-8 D. Committee Organization and Development of Guidelines ................................................... G-8 1. Committee Organization ................................................................................................. G-8 2. Development of Guidelines ............................................................................................ G-9 E. Relationship to National Planning Requirements and Guidance .......................................... G-9 F. Procedures for Revisions and Updates................................................................................ G-10 II. Response Activities .................................................................................................................... G-11 A. Wildlife Resource Agency Notification and Input ............................................................... G-11 B. Wildlife Response Strategies ............................................................................................... G-11 1. Primary Response Strategies ........................................................................................ G-11 2. Secondary Response Strategies .................................................................................... G-12 a. Deterrence Activities .............................................................................................. G-13 b. Pre-Emptive Capture .............................................................................................. G-13 3. Tertiary Response Strategies ........................................................................................ G-14 C. General Wildlife Protection Considerations ........................................................................ G-15 1. Prevention of Introduction of Rats to “Rat Free” Islands ............................................. G-15 2. Prevention of Unnecessary or Illegal Disturbance to Sensitive Species and Habitats .. G-16 3. Prevention of Potential Injury and/or Disturbance to Bears ........................................ G-18 4. Prevention of the Collection of Wildlife Parts for Personal Use ................................... G-18 5. Prevention of Wildlife Exposure to Shoreline Treatment Chemicals ........................... G-18 D. Funding G-18 Figures Figure 1 Subarea Contingency Plan Boundaries ................................................................................ G-7 Revision 5 – August 2012 Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska Administrative Update: March 2018 2 Appendices Appendix 1: Wildlife Resource Agency Considerations for Pre-Emptive Capture of Unoiled Wildlife and/or Capture and Rehabilitation of Oiled Wildlife .............................................................................. G-19 Appendix 2 Species of Concern by Subarea: Migratory Birds .................................................... G-21 Appendix 3: Species of Concern by Subarea: Marine Mammals ................................................. G-27 Appendix 4 Species of Concern by Subarea: Terrestrial Mammals ............................................ G-31 Appendix 5: [No Longer Used] ..................................................................................................... G-33 Appendix 6 Wildlife Protection Information: Migratory Birds .................................................. G-35 Appendix 7 Wildlife Protection Information: Marine Mammals ............................................... G-43 Appendix 8 Wildlife Protection Information: Terrestrial Mammals .......................................... G-77 Appendix 9 Example of Wildlife Protection Advisory for Response-Related Aircraft and Vessel Traffic and the News Media .................................................................................................................. G-105 Appendix 10 Example of Information Bulletin on Prohibitions on the Collection of Wildlife Parts . G- 107 Appendix 11 Carcass Collection Guidelines ................................................................................ G-109 Appendix 12 Capture Forms: Live Oiled Wildlife ....................................................................... G-127 Appendix 13 Checklist of Suggested On-Scene Wildlife Response-Related Activities for Wildlife Resource Agency Representatives ........................................................... G-135 Appendix 14 Checklist of Suggested Office Equipment, Supplies, and Documents for Wildlife Resource Agency Representatives to Take On-Scene ............................................................. G-137 Appendix 15 Wildlife Resource Agency Permits and/or Authorizations Required for Deterring, Collecting or Holding Live Animals1 ...................................................... G-139 Appendix 16 Equipment and Materials Suggested for Deterrence Kit: Unoiled Migratory Birds ........................................................................................ G-141 Appendix 17 Equipment and Materials Required for Capture/Stabilization Kits: Oiled Migratory Birds1 ...................................................................................................................... G-143 Appendix 18 Equipment and Materials Required for Stabilization Modules: Oiled Migratory Birds .... G- 145 Appendix 19 Equipment Used Capturing, Handling, and Rehabilitating Oiled .................................... Revision 5 – August 2012 Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska Administrative Update: March 2018 3 Sea Otters .............................................................................................................. G-147 Appendix 20 Entities in Alaska with Equipment and Materials Stockpiled for Deterring Unoiled Migratory Birds, Capturing and Rehabilitating Oiled Migratory Birds and Sea Otters, and Holding Polar Bears......................................................................................... G-155 Appendix 21 Facility Requirements for Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation: Migratory Birds ............. G-163 Appendix 22 Guidance for Facility Requirements for Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation: Sea Otters ..... G- 167 Appendix 23 Equipment List and Facility Criteria for Handling, Care, and Rehabilitation: Marine Mammals ............................................................................................................... G-169 Appendix 24 Approval Request Form: Unoiled Wildlife Deterrence Activities* ........................ G-171 Appendix 25 Approval Request Form: Pre-Emptive Capture of Unoiled Wildlife and/or Capture and Rehabilitation of Oiled Wildlife1 ....................................................... G-179 Appendix 26 Contact Information for Wildlife Resource Agencies: Migratory Birds, Marine Mammals, and Terrestrial Mammals..................................................................... G-189 Revision 5 – August 2012 Wildlife Protection Guidelines for Alaska Administrative Update: March 2018 4 I. INTRODUCTION A. BACKGROUND The coastline of Alaska and its offshore areas provide seasonal feeding, breeding, reproducing, and staging grounds for large numbers of migratory birds and marine and terrestrial mammals. In some cases, the major portion of the world's population of a particular species may be present. Moreover, these wildlife populations include important subsistence resources. Because of their interdependence with the marine environment, during an oil spill that affects offshore or coastal areas, wildlife can contact oil on the water surface and/or along shorelines, marshes, or tide lands. The number of individuals and species affected will depend on several variables, such as the location and size of the spill, the characteristics of the oil, weather and water conditions, types of habitats affected, and the time of year the spill occurs. In 1987, the Alaska Regional Response Team (RRT) recognized that guidance for dealing with oiled wildlife was not specifically provided in either the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) or the Alaska Region Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (Alaska Region Contingency Plan). At the request of the Alaska RRT Co-Chairs, a working group was established in September 1987 to develop guidelines that Federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) could use during a federally-funded oil spill response. B. OBJECTIVES Initially, the objectives of the working group focused on developing guidelines for capturing and treating oiled wildlife. As information relative to the guidelines was